


Love and Support

by Xenafox



Category: Tiger & Bunny
Genre: Established Relationship, Family, Gen, M/M, Mental Health Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-29
Updated: 2013-09-29
Packaged: 2017-12-27 22:38:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/984429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xenafox/pseuds/Xenafox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Muramasa asks Kotetsu about being with someone who is kinda unstable at times.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love and Support

**Author's Note:**

> Set in the same universe as "To Light the Shadows on Your Face".

The sharp clink of the glasses seemed to echo across the bar as Kotetsu and Muramasa shared a private toast. Kotetsu was in town for only a few days with Barnaby behind in Sternbild. Neither of them was happy about the separation, but what could they do? There had been a bit of a scheduling mishap, and so Kotetsu traveled alone.

He was fine, but worried about his beloved Bunny back in the big city. His anxiety must have shown on his face. Muramasa interrupted their peaceful talk about nothing of much substance with a sigh and a question. “You worried about him?”

“Huh?”

“Don’t ‘huh’ me,” Muramasa told him, drumming his fingers on the surface of the bar, wiped clean not too long before they poured drinks. “Barnaby.”

“Ah.” He knew, and he didn’t know why he acted like he didn’t. Old habit, perhaps. “I am, I suppose. I know he’s fine. But I miss him and he has nightmares without me.”

“Guy really needs you around just to sleep, huh?”

Kotetsu narrowed his eyes. Muramasa let some snide comments slip out sometimes in regards to Barnaby even though he claimed to be alright with him. It could be just a brother thing – Kotetsu would never know. “Yes, he does. What of it? It’s not pathetic or weird, it’s just the way things are.” He sipped at his drink a little quickly, enjoying the burn of the whiskey.

“It’s a little weird.” Muramasa sipped his too, slower. “But I suppose he can’t help it.”

“He cannot.” They’d tried to combat it, but no matter what, Barnaby had to be either passed the fuck out from being heavily drunk or he had to be next to Kotetsu to sleep without the horrible dreams. Kotetsu didn’t mind it, he actually felt good he could help. He did however wish that Barnaby didn’t have to deal with such stress even after things had become better for him.

Muramasa nodded. “I don’t know if I could handle that – no offense, Kotetsu, I’m just a fan of being with someone more stable.”

Kotetsu knew he didn’t mean it cruelly, and held off from a smart remark. He got it. Sharing a life with someone who had a lot of issues was a difficult thing to do at times, especially when he had a lot of problems too. Barnaby was better about his issues, though. He had his nightmares. He got pissy and could be overly strict and sometimes borderline OCD. He still fought the urge to escape through the roof once in a while, quite the task in a panic attack.

As for Kotetsu? He knew he was a constant pain. He didn’t shout and scream and wake up in terror or get his panties in a bunch over a small issue. But he talked himself down without meaning too or put the importance of something or someone else ahead of him when it was important to Barnaby that he be absolutely first. Barnaby didn’t like the way Kotetsu thought of himself as an afterthought, unimportant, and unfortunately Kotetsu displayed it all too often without meaning to.

Hey, he’d gotten better…

He grinned widely at Muramasa. “And yet, you deal with me.”

“I’m your brother. I have to,” Muramasa said with a snort. Then he gained a thoughtful expression on his face. “How do you?”

“How do I what?”

“Deal with it? I’m honestly curious.”

Kotetsu opened his mouth to answer, but instead just stared at his glass. How was he supposed to answer that? Muramasa wouldn’t find his response a legitimate one, that was for sure. “Um…hmmm.”

“You must have some sort of answer for me.”

“Sure, but you’ll find it ridiculous.”

“Try me.”

“….Cause I really love him. It makes me want to watch out for him and help him and just be there in general…I want to make things better for him.” Kotetsu circled the rim of his glass with his forefinger, knowing he was blushing. He was still not comfortable opening up to anyone but Barnaby. However, Muramasa could pry things out once in a while. “Sometimes things are frustrating, and there’s nothing that can be done about it. It’s…well it’s not okay, but I’ve accepted it. And I always remember that for some reason, he’s always there for me.”

“…For some reason.”

“Shut up.” He had some more of his whiskey. He didn’t really mean to say that.

“Haha. Well, that’s not really the type of answer I was looking for – I think. I’m not altogether sure I guess. But it works.”

“I’m not saying everything is healed by the magical, mystical ‘power of luuuurve’.”

“I know, and that’s why it still works. You can have a real thick skull, but I know you understand that.”

Kotetsu glared. “I do. It does help a lot, though. I’m pretty sure I’m the only person on earth Bunny trusts at all.”

“That doesn’t weigh you down, being the one person he relies on for happiness?”

Kotetsu shrugged. “Not really. I’m kinda flattered. I encourage him to become better friends with everyone but it doesn’t bother me. I guess maybe it should when we’re both feeling bothered by something, but it’s….it’s like, if Barnaby is upset, I find it that much easier to shove my problems aside and lend him a hand. Even if it’s stressful sometimes it feels like less weight on my shoulders.”

“That’s not really good, to just shove your own feelings aside.”

“Sometimes you just have to know when to stuff a sock in it and be there for your partner,” Kotetsu said simply and quickly. “You know I like helping people. I always have. If I can help Barnaby, it’s worth so much to me…” Part of the reason his power loss depressed him so was because he was unsure he would be able to help much of anyone anymore.

Muramasa hesitated, but nodded. “That actually makes sense.”

“Sometimes I say smart things!”

“Sometimes,” Muramasa said with a shake of his head. “And he really has helped you, as much as you have helped him?”

“Without a doubt,” Kotetsu murmured, and drained the rest of his glass. He made a face. He’d swallowed a little more at once than he had meant to.

“You did become happier the closer you got to him…hell, this is the happiest I have seen you in years! More whiskey?”

Kotetsu nodded and slid his glass forward as Muramasa leaned away from the table. “I didn’t think I’d ever be this happy again.” He struggled to get the words out, to admit it. The alcohol helped loosen his lips, a little.

“Mom and I had our doubts as well.”

“Ah…”

“We were worried about you, about what you might do, especially when your powers began to diminish.”

“Heh, yea.”

“What do you think you’d have done? You don’t have to answer…” He poured a small amount of whiskey in the glass.

“Then I won’t.” Kotetsu took the glass with a weak smile. He was afraid of that answer. Without Barnaby he wasn’t even sure he’d be there that night, enjoying drinks with his brother. “Just…just be happy I have Bunny, his troubles and all.”

“I wish you didn’t have to-“

“Really, please, just be happy about it. After Tomoe, Bunny is the best thing that could have happened to me. I miss him…” Kotetsu craved his touch right then, even if it was just their shoulders or legs touching as they sat side by side.

Muramasa just watched him for a few moments. Kotetsu couldn’t look back at him, not liking where his train of thought started to go. Muramasa shouldn’t have asked that last question. The idea of a life without Barnaby was not a good one. His smile became a frown.

“You got your phone on you?” Muramasa finally asked.

Kotetsu felt his pocket and then nodded. “Mmm hmm. Why?”

“Do me favor, and step outside and give Barnaby a call. I think you need it and he would probably like to hear from you.”

Kotesu’s smile slowly returned. He was glad for the push to go out and call Barnaby. He’d been wanting to, but he had also wanted to talk to his brother. Being given the go-ahead by Muramasa helped and relief washed over him.

He slid off the bar stool, glass in hand. “I’ll go do that. I won’t be long. I just want to hear his voice…” He hated not hearing Barnaby’s voice, even the sound of his breathing, before falling asleep. Talking to him for even five minutes would be amazing.

"I’ll be waiting in here, I still have some glasses to wash, speaking of which…"

"Be right back…"

“Hey…glasses and other bar property needs to stay inside…Kotetsu!” Muramasa growled in irritation.

Kotetsu just laughed, waved the glass of whiskey, and walked outside into the humid night air.


End file.
